Subject Leader: Mr K Kyle – kkyle@knoleacademy.org
Exam Board: Pearson
Intent
The Film and Media Department is a very popular one and is often over-subscribed. Parents and students can be rest assured that the number one aim is to not only teach students the practical, critical and analytical skills they will need to get a good grade in the class, but to also prepare them for all manner of moral and philosophical battles they might have throughout life. The students have a walking talking film and media encyclopaedia at their disposal. This will give them a massive advantage when it comes to equipping themselves with what they need.
Implementation
Through the study of a range of media, such as TV, print and podcasts, plus many more, students will learn both how media creates such an impact in our day-to-day lives and how to harness that power in creating their own media productions. Students will use research skills taught to them in order to select different examples of existing media products to help them understand what it is they are going to create.
Then, using the research, students will explore how different media products use fundamental ideas such as genre, narrative (i.e. storytelling), representation (such as representing types of people), and media production techniques (such as eliciting audience sympathy) to communicate meaning to audiences.
Then (the most exciting part!) the students create their own media products (such as advertising campaigns) for a relevant media sector (e.g. a charity). This can take many forms such as TV ad, Print ads etc. Students will develop media post-production skills and techniques. This basically means showing they can edit print, or video works to make them as realistic as possible.
The curriculum is designed to develop media literacy, creativity and various media communication skills that prepare students for both further academia contexts and real world itself. Most important of all, students will get to show their learned skills through practical assessments where they get to show these skills in very imaginative ways!
The overall aim of the department is to spark the fire of creative passion in students for a wide range of media. The younger generations are more and more in tune with short form media such as TikTok, but this is a real crime because they need to learn that ‘long form’ media such as films, TV and advertising have so much to offer them.
Impact
The film and media department has a strong desire to leave students with both fun and poignant lessons. Not only that, but they will also be equipped with skills to prepare them for an ever-expanding media employment landscape. Through the study of media, we give students another window of possible artistic expression. Students are actively engaged through a wide range of technology to engage with a wide range thought-provoking idea.
Examination Information
Exam Board: Pearson
Qualification: Level 2 Tech Award in Creative Media Production
Component 1: Exploring Media Production (33%)
Non-exam internal assessment
The Pearson-set Assignment will be completed in approximately 10 hours of supervised assessment. 60 marks.
Component 2: Developing Digital Media Production Skills (33%)
Non-exam internal assessment
The Pearson-set Assignment will be completed in approximately 10 hours of supervised assessment. 60 marks.
Component 3: Create a Media Product in Response to a Brief (33%)
Task set and marked by Pearson completed under supervised conditions.
The set task will be completed in 10 hours of supervised sessions in a period timetabled by Pearson.
Enrichment and extra-curricular activities
Students have the film and media editing suites they can use for any projects they would like to do.
Future Courses and Possible Careers
Students can progress further to IB Film and then to Media and/or Film and Television Degrees.
Some examples of careers with an Film and Television degree include filmmaking, cinematographer, screenwriter, Journalist, Copywriter, Teacher, Marketing Executive, Editor, Freelance Writer, Librarian, Publisher, Web Editor, Author, Social Media Manager and PR manager. But this list isn’t exhaustive.
There are also plenty of companies that recruit Film and Media graduates. PR agencies such as Edelman and Brunswick and publishers like Penguin Random House and Harper Collins have a range of editorial, writing and content management roles. Almost all industries now rely on having a very visible presence in the ever more competitive media landscape. This means having media technological skills puts students that learned those skills above other candidates. Not only that, but the theoretical knowledge will also help them use the practical skills they would have learned to best advantage.